Episode 7

Success in series – the 1,000th PANTHER.

Episode 7

Erfolg in Serie – der 1.000. PANTHER.

London-Stansted Airport is buzzing with expectation. Not Heathrow, but instead the large airport that is located 55 km northeast of London has the honor of taking delivery of the 1,000th PANTHER in the world.

It’s May 15, 2012 as Rosenbauer welcomes airport fire departments, chassis manufacturers, public figures, and journalists to a hangar at Hörsching Airport in Austria. They have all come to celebrate the most successful ARFF vehicle of all time: the 1,000th PANTHER has left the plant in Leonding and will ensure the safety and protection of London’s Stansted Airport from now on.

The 1,000th PANTHER for London’s Stansted Airport.

London-Standsted Airport

Anniversary PANTHER numbers 999, 1,000 and 1,001 for Düsseldorf, London and Doha.

Since the first PANTHER was delivered to Newcastle in the United Kingdom, many more PANTHERs had been put into use at British airports by the time the 1,000 anniversary vehicle came out. Düsseldorf Airport in Germany has also seen PANTHERs driving over its runways since 1995. The 999th PANTHER went to the North Rhine-Westfalia Airport, to the delight of the local airport fire department. And the PANTHER with the Oriental looking number 1,001 reported for duty at New Doha International Airport in Qatar.

Experience the PANTHER up close – from the development phase and various tests right through to production in Austria and the USA.

1,000 PANTHERs – that means 1,000 times innovation and quality. 1,000 times optimum performance. 1,000 times maximum safety. And 1,000 times thrilling dynamics. In 81 countries around the world, the unique airport fire fighter sets standards in extinguishing operations. By now more than 1,000 vehicles have been sold, which makes it by far the most used ARFF vehicle at airports worldwide. With this level of demand, it means we certainly won’t have to wait very long until the next anniversary…

Objects of desire – the PANTHER model vehicles

Rosenbauer PANTHER model vehicles from Wiking.

We also have PANTHER model vehicles for all those who want to experience the 1,000th PANTHER and all other vehicles of the series first-hand. From the SIMBA right up to the present PANTHER, the small copies are true to the original right down to the last detail. For different collector’s preferences, they are produced by injection molding at 1:87 and 1:43 scale. The small models are plastic while the larger vehicles are made from zinc.

All PANTHER model vehicles are exclusively developed by Wiking, one of the leading German model makers. The airport fire fighter is perfectly reproduced with considerable modeling skill. Using a 3-D drawing of the original, the PANTHER is reduced true to scale on the computer. After tool drawing, the model builder and Rosenbauer agree on the SDL model; then the injection molding tool is created based on that. The respective materials are injected into these molds under pressure, and after cooling or cross-linking the result is a PANTHER model vehicle that is true to the original.

The first airport fire fighter and forerunner of the PANTHER – the SIMBA 6×6.

The SIMBA 6×6 world premiere at Interschutz 1980.

The first SIMBA 8×8, Interschutz 1988 at Frankfurt Airport.

The first PANTHER in the world based on the design by Kristian Fenzl (1991).

The second generation: the AT PANTHER made from aluminum with in-house chassis, Kessler axles, and Caterpillar engine, 1999.

The PANTHER FL that Rosenbauer developed together with Freightliner in and for USA.

The 1,000th PANTHER with 6×6 drive in a limited special edition.

PANTHER models in the Rosenbauer Fanshop

The true-to-scale collectors' pieces raise the pulse of every fan's heart, and sell for the highest prices among enthusiasts. Above all, the rare models and designs are highly coveted. You can find all the latest PANTHER models for sale in the Rosenbauer Fanshop.